Is this the coolest sharpener ever?
Scherzinger’s idea
I have recently been contacted by A. F. Scherzinger, an engineer from Massachusetts, who is about to launch a Kickstarter campaign in a few days. Even though his expertise is in the aerospace industry, at weekends he likes to tinker with all sorts of things in his shed and one day he had the brilliant idea that there’s no need for a hole in a pencil sharpener.
How is works
He explained to me that all the hole is doing is guiding the pencil, and that three points would be sufficient to do that. One of these points can be the blade itself, so all that is needed is two more points. After some trial and error he figured out that the best way of spacing these anchor points is to group them as if they form a circle, but to keep them 120° apart.
The material
After some initial experiments with titanium, which turned out to be too springy to be of any use, he came up with the special alloy he is now using. I was lucky enough to have received an early sample and I have to say: this is great – take my money!!
Real life experience
The little struts are a but pointy, so I guess you better be careful when you carry this sharpener, but early Kickstarter backers will get a free neoprene carry case with their sharpener.
As his stretch goal he is planning to make a long point version – how cool is that‽
What an amazing idea! If you haven’t tested it and told that it works I wouldn’t believe it. How do you hold the sharpener? The hole itself may be replaced by another guiding but the material around it is useful for handling the sharpener. – I wonder which alloy he is using.
Thank you for your comment. Well, the idea and the engineering that went into this sharpener is really just amazing. I use this sharpener by holding it with the index finger where the struts come out and the thumb at the other side of the blade, this helps to avoid cutting my fingers on the blade.
I think the alloy is the big secret here. I was told titanium was too springy, so he did need something strong enough not to break easily, but not springy either.
Pingback: Just another pen ?!Blick über den Tellerrand vom 2. April 2016 - Just another pen ?!